A method of treating an object with radiation that includes generating volumetric image data of an area of interest of an object and emitting a therapeutic radiation beam towards the area of interest of the object in accordance with a reference plan. The method further includes evaluating the volumetric image data and at least one parameter of the therapeutic radiation beam to provide a real-time, on-line or off-line evaluation and on-line or off-line modification of the reference plan.

Claims

88 · 6 independent · depth 7

88 granted claims

›1.independentA system for radiotherapy comprising:nan imaging system that generates volumetric image data of an area of interest of an object, wherein said imaging…+25

A system for radiotherapy comprising:nan imaging system that generates volumetric image data of an area of interest of an object, wherein said imaging system comprises a cone-beam computed tomography system comprising:an x-ray source that emits x-rays towards said object;a first detector for receiving x-rays penetrating through said area of interest of said object and generating signals to generate said volumetric image data of said area of interest of said object, wherein said first detector receives fan-shaped x-rays after they pass through said area of interest of said object, said first detector generating a first imaging signal for each of said received fan-shaped x-rays; anda computer connected to said detector so as to receive said first imaging signals for each of said received fan-shaped x-rays, wherein said x-ray source and said first detector rotate about said object so that multiple imaging signals are reconstructed by said computer to generate a three-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography image therefrom;a radiation source that emits a therapeutic radiation beam towards said area of interest of said object in accordance with a reference plan;a second detector that receives radiation from said therapeutic radiation beam that passes through said area of interest, said second detector generating second imaging signals from said radiation; anda processing system (a) that receives and evaluates said volumetric image data, said second imaging signals and at least one parameter of said therapeutic radiation beam to provide 1) a real-time evaluation of said reference plan and 2) a real-time modification of said reference plan, wherein real-time is defined to be a time period when said therapeutic radiation beam is emitted towards said area of interest of said object, (b) that constructs a treatment dose received in said area of interest, and c) that estimates a final treatment dose in said area of interest by performing parameter estimation for random processes of patient anatomical variation.

›2.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source comprises a kV x-ray source.d2

›3.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said therapeutic radiation has an energy ranging from 4 MeV to 25 MeV.d2

›4.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said reference plan specifies said area of said object to be exposed to said therapeutic radiation beam and a dosage sa…d2

›5.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one parameter of said therapeutic radiation beam is selected from the group consisting of angle of said t…d2

›6.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said processing system comprises a workstation that performs a segmentation/registration process on said volumetric ima…d2

›7.↳ 1The system of claim 1, further comprising a workstation that compares said volumetric image data with a stored volumetric image taken from a previous …d2+7

›8.↳ 7The system of claim 7, further comprising a second workstation that constructs a treatment dose received for each subvolume tracked by said workstatio…d3+6

›15.↳ 1The system of claim 1, further comprising a workstation that constructs a treatment dose received for each subvolume in said area of interest.d2+6

›22.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an on-line manner.d2

›23.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an off-line manner.d2

›24.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are stationary or non-stationary processes, or a combination there…d2

›25.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are non-stationary processes.d2

›26.↳ 1The system of claim 1, wherein the parameter estimation is based on the least square estimation, principal component analysis estimation, or singular …d2

›27.independentA method of treating an object with radiation, comprising:ngenerating volumetric image data of an area of interest of an object, wherein said generati…+16

›28.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein said reference plan specifies said area of said object to be exposed to said therapeutic radiation beam and a dosage s…d2

›29.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein said at least one parameter of said therapeutic radiation beam is selected from the group consisting of angle of said …d2

›30.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein said evaluating comprises performing a segmentation/registration process on said volumetric image data.d2

›31.↳ 27The method of claim 27, further comprising comparing said volumetric image data with a stored volumetric image taken from a previous volumetric image …d2+7

›39.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an on-line manner.d2

›40.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an off-line manner.d2

›41.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are stationary or non-stationary processes, or a combination ther…d2

›42.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are non-stationary processes.d2

›43.↳ 27The method of claim 27, wherein the parameter estimation is based on the least square estimation, principal component analysis estimation, or singular…d2

›44.independentA planning and control system for radiotherapy comprising:na system that captures and evaluates parameters of a volumetric image of an area of interes…+17

›45.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, further comprising a processor that identifies and registers each subvolume of image data within said vol…d2+7

›46.↳ 45The planning and control system of claim 45, further comprising a second processor that constructs a treatment dose for each of said volume of image d…d3+5

›55.↳ 45The planning and control system of claim 45, wherein said processor adjusts therapy treatment of said area of interest based on a comparison of a real…d3

›52.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, wherein said treatment dose is a daily treatment dose.d2

›53.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, wherein said treatment dose is a cumulative treatment dose.d2

›54.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, further comprising a processor that performs a 4D adaptive planning process that adjusts radiation therap…d2

›56.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, wherein said processor adjusts therapy treatment of said area of interest based on a comparison of a real…d2

›57.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an on-line manner.d2

›58.↳ 44The planning and control system of claim 44, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an off-line manner.d2

›59.↳ 44The system of claim 44, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are stationary or non-stationary processes, or a combination ther…d2

›60.↳ 44The system of claim 44, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are non-stationary processes.d2

›61.↳ 44The system of claim 44, wherein the parameter estimation is based on the least square estimation, principal component analysis estimation, or singular…d2

›62.independentA method of planning and controlling a radiation therapy session, the method comprising:ncapturing and evaluating parameters of a volumetric image of …+12

›63.↳ 62The method of claim 62, further comprising identifying and registering each subvolume of image data within said volumetric image.d2+1

›65.↳ 62The method of claim 62, further comprising performing a 4D adaptive planning process that adjusts radiation therapy treatment of said area of interest…d2+3

›69.↳ 62The method of claim 62, wherein said real-time modification of said reference plan is based on off-line information.d2

›70.↳ 62The method of claim 62, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an on-line manner.d2

›71.↳ 62The method of claim 62, wherein said real-time evaluation and said real-time modification are performed in an off-line manner.d2

›72.↳ 62The method of claim 62, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are stationary or non-stationary processes, or a combination ther…d2

›73.↳ 62The method of claim 62, wherein the random processes of patient anatomical variation are non-stationary processes.d2

›74.↳ 62The method of claim 62, wherein the parameter estimation is based on the least square estimation, principal component analysis estimation, or singular…d2

›75.independentA system for radiotherapy comprising:na radiation source that is programmed to emit a therapeutic radiation beam towards an area of interest of an obj…+6

›82.independentA method of treating an object with radiation, comprising:nplanning on emitting a therapeutic radiation beam towards an area of interest of an object …+6

Classifications

2 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section A — Human necessities

A61N5/10

USPC · US Patent Classification

378/65

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Mona M Sanei

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

25 May 2006

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 60808343	25 May 2006
related publication	US 20080031406 A1	7 Feb 2008

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